Road making apparatus



H. KAMMERLIN ROAD MAKING APPARATUS June Z, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21 1961 H. KAMMERLIN ROAD MAKING APPARATUS June 2, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 21, 1961 Inventor: H Ka-m THBI- 2h:

5 with mf June 2, 1964 Filed Feb. 21 1961 H. KAMMERLIN ROAD MAKING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor: H. Kz m mar-2Z1:

United States Patent C) 3,135,177 ROAD MAKING APPARATUS Heinrich Kiimmerlin, Hameln (Weser), Germany, assignor to ABG-Werke Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hameln (Weser) Am Damm, Germany Filed Feb. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 90,685 Claims priority, application Germany Feb. 29, 1960 2 Claims. (Cl. 94-45) Present tendencies in the development of concrete road construction are characterised largely by endeavours to improve the levelling and smoothnes of road surfaces. Detailed examination of this problem shows that the levelness of a road surface depends in the main on three factors, namely the manner in which the forms are laid, the properties and behavior of the concrete and the method of operation of the concrete road finishing machine and its smooth ing mechanism. It is known from experience on site that it is diflicult to lay the forms in a better manner and to improve the behavior of the concrete; so that a solution of the problem outlined above can only be achieved by improvement of the concrete road finishing machine itself.

Steps in this direction have been taken in practice, and machines have been developed which are equipped with their own driving means, which incorporate the known inaccuracy compensator \consisting of a number of bogies on each side of the track and their linkages, and also incorporate a smoothing mechanism disposed at right angles or diagonally or longitudinally to the road respectively.

It is not possible to achieve the desired levelness and smoothness of road surfaces with such cumbersome machines, which due to their own propulsion units are also very expensive, unless it is possible to spread out the irregularities on the surface of the consolidated surface plastically by means of rubbing with the smoothing mechanism which moves to and fro. If this is not possible, as is fre quently the case, because the concrete is too firm and hard, it will be impossible for the machine to produce a plane and even road surface.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method of overcoming these disadvantages and to achieve the desired object by simple means.

According to the present invention the known inaccuracy compensator is employed for the attachment of the smoothing mechanism in such a manner that those end pieces of the control members supporting the inaccuracy compensator which face forward when viewed in the direction in which the work is proceeding are connected by universal joints to a framework resting on the axles of the chassis Wheels of a finishing machine of conventional design, and that those end pieces of the control members which face rearward when so viewed are also connected by universal joints to a separate trailer framework.

An embodiment of the apparatus constructed according to the invention will now be described in greater detail by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows the new finishing machine in side elevation,

FIGURE 2 shows the new machine in plan view, partly in section on the line A-B of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section on the line CD of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section taken on line EF, FIG. 2, in the direction of the arrows; and FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on line GH, FIG. 2, in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, a chassis 1 of a concrete road finishing machine is provided with a preliminary 3,135,177. Patented June 2, 1964 roller 2, a consolidation plank 3 and a smoothing mechanism 4 which are the normal furnishings required for the production of a road surface. Runner wheels 5 run on running rails 6 of forms 7 which form the side boundaries for the concrete surface 8.

The parts of the finishing machine which form an inaccuracy compensator are those parts of the framework whose recesses 10 in the frames 9 receive the axles 11 and 12 for the runner wheels 5 and are supported by them.

Disposed between these running wheels 5 is a horizontal bearing 13 with a bearing pin 14 arranged in each of frames 9. The heads of these bearing pins 14 have a hole drilled through them in a direction at right angles to that of the pin, and together with the forked heads of connecting links or control members 15 and pins 16 they form vertical hinges, so that the two bearing connections of these control members form universal joints.

The control members 15 are linked to a trailer framework 17 and rear bogies 9' by identical universal joints which enable the machine to be driven round corners. Platforms 18 attached to the control members 15 support rollers 19 of the smoothing mechanism 4.

The smoothing mechanism 4 consists of an actual smoothing plank 20 and a vibrator plank 21. These planks 20 and 21 are coupled or connected together by suitable means 22 in such a manner as to provide a flexible joint which can be adjusted and so determine the height of the smoothing member, and are caused to move to and fro by a reciprocating rod 23 connected onto the plank 20. In the course of this motion the supporting rollers 19 roll over the platforms 18, as already mentioned above, providing the desired height for the mechanism at a desired level. The diagonal position of the smoothing mechanism relative to the road results from the arrangement of the platforms 18 and tie rods 24. The smoothing mechanism is not limited to the position as shown, but can also be disposed in the opposite direction or any other direction by suitable arrangement of the tie rods 24 and platforms 18.

The finishing machine includes the smoothing plank 20 and the vibrator plank 21 and both planks together form a structural unit being coupled to each other by elastic means 22. This structural unit rests on the two side platforms 18 by means of the support rollers 19 and which are secured on th control members 15. The longitudinal control members 15 are provided at their ends with fork-like heads by means of which they grip the bearing pins 14, so that a cordon-like suspension will be formed for the smoothing and vibrator means 20 and 21. For the backwards reinforcement of the carrier 15 there is provided a trailer frame which also has a centrally located bearing pin fo the hitching of the membes 15. The tie rods 24 are nothing more than tension bars to pull the finishing parts 20 and 21 and so arranged to carry out the reciprocating motion by means of the rod 23.

Vibrators 25 located on the vibrator plank 21 are driven in a suitable manner by a driving means 26 mounted on the plank 20 and cause the plank 21 to vibrate at a frequency of about 3,200 cycles per minute. This enables the plank, as already mentioned above, to return the surface of the consolidated concrete to a plastic condition to such an extent that it is possible to smooth the surface and render it level by the combined action of the two planks. During this process the platform 18, which forms part of the inaccuracy compensator, forms the base for a height guide of the smoothing mechanism.

What I claim is:

1. In a concrete street and road finishing machine for producing flat and level surfaces, a framework, a smoothing mechanism comprising a vibrator plank and a smooth ing plank arranged adjacent each other in spaced relation and coupled to each other, rollers at each end of the planks, a platform member for each end of the planks on which the rollers roll, control members secured on the framework to which the platform members are secured, universal joints at the forward ends of the control members to connect the latter to the framework to enable the machine to negotiate curves, and links connected to the smoothing mechanism and the framework to control the diagonal position of the planks.

2. In a concrete street and road finishing machine according to claim 1, in which the control members are composed of two Wheeled trucks to support the opposite ends of the control members and in which means are provided to operate the vibrator plank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A CONCRETE STREET AND ROAD FINISHING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING FLAT AND LEVEL SURFACES, A FRAMEWORK, A SMOOTHING MECHANISM COMPRISING A VIBRATOR PLANK AND A SMOOTHING PLANK ARRANGED ADJACENT EACH OTHER IN SPACED RELATION AND COUPLED TO EACH OTHER, ROLLERS AT EACH END OF THE PLANKS, A PLATFORM MEMBER FOR EACH END OF THE PLANKS ON WHICH THE ROLLERS ROLL, CONTROL MEMBERS SECURED ON THE FRAMEWORK TO WHICH THE PLATFORM MEMBERS ARE SECURED, UNIVERSAL JOINTS AT THE FORWARD ENDS OF THE CONTROL MEMBERS TO CONNECT THE LATTER TO THE FRAMEWORK TO ENABLE THE MACHINE TO NEGOTIATE CURVES, AND LINKS CONNECTED 